NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih lashed at Vice President Lai Ching-te, who is also the presidential candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), regarding the latter's proposal for financial assistance to private school students. Hou's remarks came on Wednesday (June 21).
Lai suggested that the government allocates a subsidy exceeding 50% of the tuition gap, which would amount to over NT＄25,000, to private university students. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate objected to the DPP's plan, deeming it inappropriate for the party to allocate such a substantial amount of money for this purpose.
Raising concerns about the timing of the announcement, Hou pointed out that the DPP has held office for nearly eight years, and he questioned why it took until now for them to address the issue of private university tuition.
Hou further posed pertinent questions regarding the policy's retrospective implications, particularly about students who have already graduated and are burdened with student debt. He inquired whether the proposed approach would support these individuals and if ongoing assistance would be offered.
Addressing reporters, Hou emphasized that the government should prioritize initiatives to facilitate students' connection with industries and the international community, thereby expediting their integration into the job market.
He stressed the importance of creating a stable and improved environment for job searching, enabling young adults to attain higher salaries and maintain a secure lifestyle. Additionally, Hou called for efforts to ease tensions across the Taiwan Strait, allowing young adults to avoid the complexities of geopolitical conflicts and smoothly transition into the workplace.